Of Two Minds
by Trscroggs
Summary: What does Ranma think when Genma tries to separate all the female essence from Ranma's soul? Well, he's of two minds on the subject. *Currently Discontinued*


Second fic alert.   
  
If you have read any kind of fan fiction before then you have seen the disclaimers that all (well almost all) fics have.  
  
This is a strictly non-profit fanfic. If I make any money off it you may sue. But I'm not going to be making any money off it.  
  
C&C welcomed and encouraged. Flames are not.   
  
I posted this idea FFML a while ago. I have decided to give it a try. However, I have altered the idea from what I posted.  
  
Thanks to all my pre-readers, who helped improve this work greatly.  
  
This is an alternate history fic, so some OOC should be expected. I am going to be using multiple viewpoints for this fic. The usual omniscient view just doesn't seem entirely right at some points. It should be noted that I am using the manga for the majority of my info. I am going to assume that Ranma-chan's hair is red, however.  
  
Here it is.  
  
Created: ?  
Last revision: 12/16/98  
  
Thoughts   
Authors notes ()  
Stressed words --  
  
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Of Two Minds:  
Part One  
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I guess you could say I should be grateful to pop, I mean after all if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be alive. I still resent him for it though. After all he made both my brother's and my own life miserable for years. Some of the stuff he pulled still surprises me to this day. Why mom even put up with him is beyond me, and Bro agrees with me. Why -we- put up with him so long is something we haven't figured out either, and we probably never will. It all started when my...er...brother, Saotome Ranma, was about six years old.  
  
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"Come here boy," Genma called out to his son. Soon, he thought to himself, When this ritual is complete all will be set. My son will be a man amongst men, and my wife won't have to take up her oath.   
"What is it pop?" (Remember Ranma's only six)  
"Ranma my boy, I have found a training manual that will make you one of the greatest men on earth." And prevent me from facing Nodoka's blade.   
Ranma voice filled with curiousosity and he asked, "How does it work?"  
Genma smiled, glad that his son didn't remember his first attempt at making him a man amoungst men, "Well son, you stand in that circle over there, and I say the words on this scroll..."  
  
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My first memory, at least the first of the memories that are totally mine, was of me standing in chalk circle with some older man standing near me with a disappointed look on his face. I also remember realizing that I wasn't alone in my head. The other person in my head was out of it, or at least that was the way I remember it. I kind of played along with what the old man was saying until the other person in my head, or rather our head, woke up. Turns out his name was Ran, he was, and still is, a martial artist, well so am I so that isn't really that a big deal.   
We decided to keep the fact that there were now two of us away from dad. We didn't find out exactly what -father dearest- had done to us till a few months later. Dad had found some old scroll that could be used to cure someone of a multiple personality disorder, he also found a scroll that could cause it. He tried to separate Ranma's male and female sides from his personality and then get rid of the female side. But something in Ranma's mind, or maybe something pops did wrong, resulted in a stupid accident. Ranma's male and female side split apart forming two separate personalities. The male part of that mind is Ran and the female side is me, Rako. Together we are the person every knows as Saotome Ranma  
It turns out that not telling pops about his screw-up was a bad idea, because less than a year latter, before we even gotten use to being two, our father trained 'Ranma' in some move called the Neko-ken. I don't rember what happened. I'm assamed to admit that I fainted right at the beginning and wasn't awake to be affected by it, but Ran was and he's despreatly afraid of cats now.  
If that wasn't bad enough, then dad took 'Ranma' to a place called Jusenkyou. Jusenkyou is a pretty place, as long as you stay out of the water. Unfortunately for us, we didn't know it at the time.  
  
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Ran's thoughts: []  
Rako's thoughts: {}  
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"Here sirs. This is the legendary training ground known as Jusenkyou." Said the guide. An old man in clothing from the time of Mao.  
Genma turns to his son, who is studying the spring filled valley. "Are you prepared, Ranma?"  
"This place isn't so great." Ranma replies, [What do you thinks so special?] {Maybe there's some secret about it.}  
Genma calls out to his son and leaps to one of the bamboo poles that dot the springs, "Ranma, follow me."  
{Do you want to take him, or me?} [You take him, I'm going to listen to the guide.]  
Ranma and Genma duel on the polls with the guide shouting at the two of them trying to warn of the 'tragic legend'. [Rako, something's wrong, that guide is trying to warn us. Look out!]  
Genma leaped towards his son, and he all but flew through the air. Ranma collieded his father in midair, knocking him into one of the pools. Ranma then landed on one of the poles and looked down at the pool that his father landed in "Pops? What's wrong? Are we done already?" {Bro, something is seriously wrong here.}  
Then with a huge splash a giant panda sprung from the pool and landed on a nearby pole. The panda was wearing Genma's gi and glasses, and had a totally human stance.  
"W-who...wh..what...wh..why...?" Ranma stuttered in shock. [Rako, the guide is yelling something, don't fall in a pool...]  
Unfortunately Ran's warning was too late as the giant panda leaped from the pole and with a flying jump-kick punted Ranma towards one of the pools. Just as unfortunate is the fact that Ran couldn't take over their body fast enough to even attempt to take save them. Ranma crashed into a pool not too far from where he started, creating a huge splash.  
"Noooooo! Not Nyanniichuan, the spring of the drowned girl!" The guide yelled at the poor boy. "Very tragic legend, of girl who drown in spring 1500 years ago. Now whomever fall in pool take body of young girl."  
Ranma surfaces from the pool feeling different, she pulled open her gi and stared at something that doesn't belong on any boy... breasts.  
  
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I don't remember the next part. I am hate to admit it, but I sort of fainted. And despite popular opinion I am not to increadably fond of our cursed form. I had spent all of my life as a female spirit in a male body, so I had no idea what having a woman's body was like. I still feel weird whenever we change, I've not really ever gotten use to it, Bro handles it better than I do.   
Bro and I have a rather interesting way to share our body. Whenever one of our skills is needed that person takes over and does what is needed. For things like talking we quickly come to an agreement about what to say, or if necessary whoever was in charge speaks with the other person coaching. We even have different fighting styles. Ran's style relies on defense, he'll block you until you tire out then he'll knock you out fast. My fighting style is more offensive, I'll pound you before you can even hit me. Of course I have the better style, but Bro disagrees. We often cooperate when fighting someone, one of us controls the body, and the other concentrates totally on our senses, it makes it more difficult to surprise us than a normal person does. After all one of us, usually me, is totally focused on our opponent and filters out everything but him...or her. Bro ignores the jerk fighting us and tries to watch out for any sneak attacks.  
Between our creation and Jusenkyou, Ran and I have learned to rapidly switch control in an emergency, unfortunately we were both too stunned when dad came out of the pool or maybe we could have avoided landing in that damned spring.   
I have to admit the curse does have some upsides. One good thing about it is that gave me a little more freedom to act the way I want. Just after failing in the spring we had a small talk with the guide. We told him to tell dad that the mind changes when a person that fell in a human spring is in their cursed form. It took a minute, but he agreed in the end and told dad about "The very tragic tale of the Nyanniichuan, is worse of all springs." I think he was trying to stop from laughing near the end, but pops bought it anyway.  
The after his tale the guide told us both that jumping in the spring of drowned man was a bad idea. Turns out that the curses combine in really nasty ways and if we did jump in the pool half male and half whatever. In the case of the Nyanniichuan we would become completely neuter, and neither of us where crazy about that idea.  
Well, pops bought the story about our mental changes. He bought it so completely, that he decided to avoid a nearby amazon village. I guess he didn't want his 'son' joining their ranks. Instead he decided to head directly back to Tokyo to an old friends of his...  
  
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Panda Signs \\  
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People where staring, not that they where really aware that they where. The sight of a redheaded girl walking calmly down the street wouldn't have been worth the attention, except maybe to admire her body, but the sight of the giant panda walking next to the girl, well that demanded attention. Added to the strangeness was the fact that the panda was walking on its rear paws, much like a man, mad it a sight not miss.  
{This is stupid, why are we going along with this...this...stupid old panda.} [Because it gives us a chance to get to some hot water. Anyway, what idiot would engage his daughter to a shape-changer? Espetially a half-female shape-changer?]  
"So pop, who is this person we are going to see anyway? And what's this about being about engaging me to one of them." Ranma's face wasn't really happy, but it seems resigned to his fate. At least for now.  
The panda seems relived that his 'son' is taking it so well, he seriously expected Ranma to put up more of a fight. \We are going to an old friend of mine *turn* His name is Tendo Soun *new sign* We promised, on our honor, that out two families *turn* should be joined.\  
{Honor? What does pops know of honor?} [I didn't think it be about honor.] {What do you mean?} [I just thought this is something that just happened. You know Pops got drunk and skeemed up some crazy idea with some drunk friend. If they got honor involved its going to be harder to get out of.]  
  
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Everything went the way we hoped it would when we go to the Tendo's. I did most of the talking when we meet Soun; I really didn't think he'd faint. Ran decided he was going to go to sleep, after Soun colapsed, leaving me in the body more or less on my own. That Akane girl was nice, she chanllanged me to a friendly fight. She was decent fighter, but she didn't really stand a chance in an all out fight. I dodged everything she threw, and after she buried her fist in the wall I gave her a quick pop to back of her head. She took it well enough but that line about not wanting to be beaten by a guy had me worried.  
Shortly after the match eldest sister, Kasumi, told...more like ordered...'Ranma' to take a bath...  
  
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{What are we going to do about the curse, and about us?} [I think we should tell the sisters about us. Everyone is going to find out about the curse anyway, so why hide it?]  
Rako is presently in control and had just finished rinsing off the soap, but instead of entering the waiting furo she was in silent conversation with Ran. Both are surprised when the inner door to the bath opens and Akane walks in. Ran quickly closes his mental 'eyes', as to avoid being a pervert.  
"Hi ya', Akane. " [What the heck are you doing, get out of here!] {No way! You should take a look, she's got a great body.} [Prevert.]  
Akane smiled at the girl that had just beaten her in a rather spectacular match, "Hello, Ranma, why aren't you in the furo?"  
"Uh, Akane there are some things you need to know," Ranma became extremely nervous, which wass easy to tell from the way she played with her pigtail, "I've got a couple of problems, that you need to know about."  
The look Akane sent the girl was one of confusion, and just a bit of worry, "What's wrong?"  
"Listen you have to swear to something. I've got a couple of pproblems, one is kind of minor, you were going to find out about it anyway." Ranko wass seriously nervous now, and her body posture was screaming it, "The other is a secret and you have to -swear- not to tell anyone, -especially- pops."  
Akane quickly passed from confused to seriously worried, What can be this major? She thought to herself, This is really bothering her. "Ok I swear not to tell anyone, -especially- not your father, your big secret. What's wrong?"  
Ranko gives sad smile, "I have a curse. I feel into this cursed spring and I change shape when I get wet. I'm in my cursed form right now."  
Akane wass now officialy confused, "What do you really look like?"  
"Promise not to scream?"  
"Promise." Akane promised.  
Ranko slowly reached out and picked up one of the washcloths, which she draped over her crotch. Then she reached out, and picked up one of the washing pails, diped it in the furo, and dumped its contents on her...his skull.  
Akane remembered her promise, and quickly stuck both hands into her mouth to keep her scream in. Akane took a moment to stiffle her shout. Then she swallowed and forced out, "Is that what you really look like?'  
Ranma lowered 'his' head in shame, "Yeah, but before you get all mad at me, let me tell you the other secret."  
Akane wass getting mad anyway, but instead of bashing the boy like she wanted to she grabed a nerby towel and covered herself. She then angrily noded for the aqua-transsexual to continue.  
"Several years ago pops tried to force the female side out of Ranma's personality. Instead our -loving- father split Ranma's mind into male and female sides."  
"What do you mean?" Akane was obviously losing it, and the duo talked quickly to try to get out of trouble.  
Ranma's posture suddenly changes, it becomes more masculine and seems to radiate more strength than before instead of the grace of earlier. Ranma's voice also drops, and all the forms in Ranma's speech become masculine. Ranma's eyes also snap closed.  
"Because its true. I'm called Ran, I'm the male side. You where just talking to Rako, the female side. Dad doesn't know what happened, though, and we ain't planing on him finding out."  
"You...you...pervert," Akane is furious, "You where trying to peep on me."  
Just as suddenly as it changed before 'Ranma's' posture changes back to Rako's "Ran had his eyes closed, he didn't see anything, And I am a girl, so that shouldn't bother you." [Snort. If she knew you better she still be mad.] {Stuff it, I'm trying to calm her down.}  
Akane's anger melts away, she isn't happy, but is currently more curious than mad, "Why did you tell me?"  
"Pops wants us to marry one of you, and we really thought you should now before one of you agrees."   
"Ok, so what do we do now?" Akane asks.  
"We where kind of hoping to stay around here," Shift, "Yeah, we haven't really had a home. But, we don't want to be engaged either."  
Akane asks the next logical question, "Are you going to tell my sisters?"  
"Yeah, they deserve to know. Especially before our fathers engage us to one of you."  
  
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"You know...er...Ranma," Akane begins as they two leave the bathing area, "I don't really think you should tell Nabiki about your...selves. You see Nabiki's kind of...mercenary and she'd probably charge you for keeping it a secret."  
"Er...Thanks for the warrning, we really don't have much money, we really didn't need it on our training journey."  
"That's ok Ra...How can I tell you two apart anyway, I want to know who to blame if you do something perverted."  
"Well Akane-chan, Rako is left-handed, and I'm right-handed. And she doesn't use any honorifics, I do. Oh yeah and I don't look at girls' ch..."  
"Girls' what?" Akane asks, curious.  
"Heh, heh, Nothing Akane, nothing. Just ignore Ran, he's got a weird sense of humor." [Yeah, right.]  
Akane shows Ranma (I'll be calling them Ranma when refering to both of them) to a room with her name on a little duck name-plate. "Stay here, I'll go get onnesan."  
Akane steps out of her room and firmly closes the door. She then leans against the wall outside the lets out a deep breath. Why? Why? First Kuno gets every guy in school to attack me all for a date, and then I meet a girl, that's a guy, and is both at the same time.   
Akane finds Kasumi in the kitchen, humming a happy tune to herself. "Onnesan."  
Kasumi stops in her work and looks up at Akane, "Yes Akane?"  
"Can I talk to you in my room for a moment, its about our guest..."  
  



End file.
